Chapter 58 – The Siege of a Thousand Crypts.

The next day at the Bastion of Arcane Greed dawned with completely renewed energy.

Thanks to the digestive teas and purified fruit preserves prepared by Diana with her Level 20 Alchemy, Rhea, Kael, and Aurelia-Elysia woke up with one hundred percent restored health, rested stomachs, and spirits at an all-time high.

Diana gathered the team around the manor's large conference table right after breakfast.

Across the dark wood, Diana unrolled a colossal cartographic parchment that occupied nearly the entire length of the table. The map displayed a daunting three-dimensional network of hundreds of interconnected corridors, subterranean halls, and boss chambers:

The Labyrinth of a Thousand Amethyst Crypts (Level 30-36).

It was the largest, deepest, and most extensive mega-dungeon in all of the Second Circle.

Kael leaned over the map, his eyes wide. “Commander… this place has over two hundred recorded rooms and at least twelve different Sector Bosses!”

“Exactly.” Diana said, her voice calm, firm, and laden with unshakeable determination. “We've spent weeks making quick one or two-day raids. But our ultimate goal in this Circle is Level 50 for the portal crossing. Continuously returning to the city every twenty-four hours has become a waste of logistical time.”

Diana placed both hands on the table, staring at the three members of her squad with glowing dark eyes:

“Our next mission is a Continuous Siege Expedition. We enter the Amethyst Labyrinth with arcane tents, condensed supplies, and a mobile forge. We camp inside the dungeon for days, weeks if necessary.”

She paused for two seconds before laying down the final rule:

“No one leaves that labyrinth until we are all at Level 35 or higher.”

***

The silence in the conference room lasted only an instant.

Kael slammed his fist hard against his 490 HP dragon armor chestplate, a fierce smile erupting on his face. “Level 35… That's music to my ears, Commander! I can take weeks in there!”

Aurelia-Elysia adjusted her Mana Crystal Staff, determination in her lilac eyes. “I've prepared enough preservation vials to keep our water and potions pure for an entire month!”

Rhea touched the hilts of her Dragon Silk and Shadow Daggers, her silver ears perked in pure feline excitement. “My Agility 68 will map every single turn of that labyrinth, Diana.”

***

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Siege Logistics - Preparation and Expenses

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Throughout the remainder of the day, the Bastion operated like a military campaign headquarters.

In the basement laboratory, Diana and Aurelia-Elysia worked without rest:

- Produced 50x Greater Healing Potions (95% Purity - Restores 150 HP).

- Produced 30x Pure Mana Elixirs (Restores 80 MP).

- Synthesized 200 Concentrated Nutrition Pills, allowing the party to nourish themselves for weeks without needing to haul heavy food wagons.

In the Forge District, Diana used her Metallurgy Level 12 at Master Volkan's workshop to forge runic diamond whetstones and spare volcanic steel rivets for emergency armor repairs inside the dungeon.

At the Mercenaries' Guild Headquarters, Diana acquired a Timeless Deep Expedition License and two magical camping tents with heat and sound insulation barriers.

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[SIEGE EXPEDITION EXPENSES]

- Timeless Expedition License: -4 Silver Coins.

- Arcane Insulation Tents + Repair Reagents: -4 Silver Coins.

TOTAL SPENT: -8 Silver Coins (800 Bronze).

[NEW ABSOLUTE NET WORTH: 170 SILVER COINS (17,000 Bronze! / EXACTLY 17 PURE GOLD COINS!)]

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One hundred seventy silver coins stashed securely in the faction vault. Exactly seventeen pure gold coins.

***

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The Amethyst Labyrinth Portal

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At dawn the following day, the Arcane Greed Faction assembled at the northern border of the Ivory Citadel.

The entrance to the Labyrinth of a Thousand Crypts rose like a colossal throat of dark amethyst stone, decorated with twenty-meter-tall gothic arches that glowed with purple containment runes.

Several Level 28 veteran squads resting near the entrance looked on with respect and shock at Diana's party. The four-member squad wore full sets of Level 25+ Shadow Dragon armor, carried backpacks of magic supplies, and radiated the calm, dangerous presence of an elite unit.

Diana stopped before the portal.

She activated [Aura of Arcane Domain] and [Commander's Loot].

The blue and black-gold runes wrapped around the party.

—This is gonna be long, Diana…

The System's voice echoed in her mind, the interface floating in solemn black gold.

—In there are dozens of bosses and Level 30 to 36 monsters. The ground won't forgive mistakes.

Diana adjusted the bracer on her Dragon Chestplate, feeling the colossal pulse of her Intelligence 115 and her 620 mana points.

A sharp, ravenous, absolutely unshakeable smile formed on her lips.

“Open the gate.” Diana ordered the guards.

The heavy iron chains groaned, and the two colossal amethyst doors slid to the sides, revealing the infinite depths of the labyrinth's purple darkness.

The Arcane Greed Faction marched into the chasm in perfect formation.

Behind them, with a deafening boom that vibrated the ground, the stone doors slammed shut and sealed completely.

The march toward Level 35 had officially begun.

Final Notes:

Brace yourselves, a huge dungeon is coming up!!